Athar Awards Expands To Include New Sports Campaign Category And 80+ Industry Veterans On The 2026 Jury Panel
Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity, the Kingdom's largest gathering of the creative marketing industry, returns with the fourth edition of the Athar Awards. Taking place on 25 November at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC, this year’s programme introduces an enhanced recognition framework, expanded entry pathways, and its largest jury yet. Brands, agencies, government entities, and in-house teams across Saudi Arabia are invited to submit their work until 4 September.
Athar Awards 2026 will utilise an all-new cumulative points-based recognition system, with points allocated to officially credited brands, agencies, and production partners behind each winning entry. Overall performance across all categories will determine the recipients of the Brand of the Year, Creative Team of the Year, and Production House of the Year titles. Alongside this, nine of this year's seventeen campaign categories now feature dedicated entry pathways for network and independent agencies.
Ian Fairservice, Chairman of Athar Festival and Managing Partner of Motivate Media Group, said: "As our industry evolves, we at Athar Festival challenge ourselves to evolve with it. That's why, in true Athar spirit, we've recalibrated our approach to recognition itself. This year's points-based system acknowledges the collaborative nature of creative excellence, while the expanded entry pathways recognise the increasing breadth of Saudi Arabia's agency landscape. We believe these mechanisms will help ensure the Athar Awards better reflect the way today's most meaningful and impactful work is conceived, developed, and delivered."
Mohamed Al Ayed, Vice Chairman of Athar Festival and CEO of TRACCS, added: "No great work is ever created in isolation. It is shaped by the moment in which it emerges, the people who help bring it to life, and the work against which it is measured. Over the past three years, we have had the privilege of witnessing this process first-hand. Each iteration has brought new ideas, raised standards, and revealed an ever-deeper pool of Saudi talent. That journey is exactly what the Athar Awards exist to celebrate. I wish every creative the very best as they share their work with us this year.”
Supporting this year's edition is the Athar Awards' largest jury to date. It brings together over 80 industry veterans from leading agencies, brands, and government entities, covering every corner of the creative landscape. Jury members have been selected for their expertise and in-depth understanding of the regional market and Saudi Arabia's cultural context.
New to this year’s awards lineup, the upcoming edition will also feature the Best Sport Campaign category. This aims to recognise creative marketing campaigns that harness the power of sport to support Saudi Vision 2030, strengthen national pride, and enhance Saudi Arabia's global sporting profile as the Kingdom prepares to host major international events including the AFC Asian Cup and the FIFA World Cup 2034.
For more information on the Athar Awards, eligibility criteria, and the submission process, please visit awards.atharfestival.com
